Amazingly Delicious Oat & Onion Tarts
Oat and onion tarts: little British-style savory tarts with crisp oat-and-cheese pastry, slow-sweated onions, and a baked sour cream and cheddar custard. Perfect with drinks or a green salad.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
60 minREADY
90 minThese savory little tarts are pure British countryside cooking. The pastry is unusual: rolled oats and whole wheat flour blended with butter and lard for a crisp, almost-shortbread shell that’s hearty enough to stand up to the rich filling. A flick of paprika and cayenne in the dough wakes up the flavor without anyone tasting heat.
The filling depends on properly cooked onions. Slow-sweat them under a lid for 20 minutes until they’re meltingly tender, then crank the heat at the end to push them into rich golden brown territory. That caramelization is what makes the tarts taste deep and savory rather than just oniony.
The pastry is fragile and tears easily. Don’t fight it. Patch holes with your fingertips and trust that blind-baking will hide every imperfection.
Chef Tips
- Use cold butter and lard for flakiest pastry. Cut into the flour while still cold.
- Drain the cooked onions in a sieve to remove excess butter, or the filling won’t set properly.
- Blind bake with parchment and beans first, then continue without to crisp the bottom fully.
- Eggs and sour cream should be mixed off-heat. The hot onions added in temper the eggs gently.
Variations
- Swap cheddar for Gruyere or Comte for a more nutty, Alpine flavor.
- Add 4 slices of crisp crumbled bacon to the filling for richer, smokier tarts.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or sage for a more herbed savory profile.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix the oats, flours, cheese and a pinch each of salt, paprika and cayenne.
Cut then rub in the fat, bind with water and leave out to rest.
Peel, quarter and slice the onions wafer thin.
Turn them in melted butter, cover and leave to sweat over very gentle heat for 20 minutes or so until meltingly tender, just stirring occasionally.
This pastry is rather difficult to handle so it is best to divide it in half and roll out in two batches.
Keep the other half covered meanwhile.
Use the pastry to line little mincepie tins (or individual 4-inch fluted flan tins if you prefer).
Don’t worry too much if the pastry tears; patch it together by pressing it with your fingertips.
Blind bake on a pre-heated baking sheet at 400℉ (200℃) gas mark 6, allowing 12 minutes with greaseproof paper and beans, then 12 minutes without the lining.
When the onions are beautifully soft, remove the lid and cook over increased heat for several minutes until they are a rich golden brown.
Season generously with salt and black pepper, add a dash of cayenne and paprika and mix well.
Then tip the contents of the pan into a sieve placed over a bowl to drain off the buttery juices and to cool the onions slightly.
When the pastry cases are cooked, beat the eggs with the soured cream, add onions and check seasoning.
Spoon the mixture into the tarts, sprinkle the grated cheese on top and bake at 400℉ (200℃) gas mark 6 for 20 to 25 minutes until the filling is deliciously puffed up and golden.
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